A 52-year-old woman with Parkinson disease (PD) since age 42 on carbidopa/levodopa 25/ 250 5 times/d developed “offs” characterized by left foot dystonia. After adding rasagiline 1mg/ d, multihour episodes of gaze deviation, anxiety, retrocollis, and dyskinesias ensued (video, links.lww.com/WNL/A30). Symptoms, marginally improved with diphenhydramine, resolved when levodopa was held temporarily...

Entacapone is an inhibitor of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), used in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease as an adjunct to levodopa/carbidopa therapy. It is a nitrocatechol-structured compound with a relative molecular mass of 305.29. The chemical name of entacapone is (E)-2-cyano­ 3-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)-N,N-diethyl-2-propenamide. Its empirical formula is C14H15N3O5 and its struc...

Interim results from an international, open-label study of levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease: efficacy results by country P. Odin1,2, A.J. Espay3, A.D. Vanagunas4, R.A. Hauser5, H.H. Fernandez6, D.G. Standaert7, W.Z. Robieson8, Y. Pritchett8, K.L. Widnell8, K. Chatamra8, J. Benesh8, R.A. Lenz8 1Klinikum-Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven, Germany, 2Skane Univ...

Cellulose-binding domains (CBDs) are protein domains with cellulose-binding activity, and some act as leaders in the localization of cellulosomal scaffoldin proteins to the hydrophobic surface of crystalline cellulose. In this study, we found that a CBD fusion enhanced and improved soluble β-glucuronidase (GusA) enzyme properties through the formation of an artificially oligomeric state. First,...

Levodopa, a dopamine precursor, is an effective and well-tolerated dopamine replacement agent used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). Oral levodopa has been widely used for over 40 years, often in combination with a dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor (DDCI), which reduces many treatment complications, extending its half-life and increasing levodopa availability to the brain. Entacapone, a catechol-O-...

OBJECTIVES Entacapone is a specific, potent, peripherally acting catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitor. It has been shown to improve the bioavailability of plasma levodopa and extend its clinical effect when used as an adjunct to standard levodopa preparations, but there is little experience of the effect of entacapone on controlled release levodopa preparations. METHODS A double blin...

OBJECTIVES Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with motor fluctuations that have been shown to improve when stable plasma levodopa levels are achieved with continuous levodopa infusions. Many patients also develop mood fluctuations. In this pilot study, we gathered preliminary information about the relationship between changing mood states and plasma levodopa levels. METHODS Six patients w...